Native Plants

Shooting-Star

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Summary

Shooting star is among the finest spring perennial wildflowers with its clusters of white to magenta pink flowers borne atop 12-22” stalks in mid-spring. Its flowers have the unusual trait of developing strongly reflexed petals that appear like wind-blown umbrellas or tiny “shooting stars”. Broad, emerald green basal rosettes of leaves long persist only into mid-summer and become dormant. Shooting star is best situated in rich, well-drained, acid to neutral soil in filtered to partial shade. It combines well with other spring wildflowers such as Sanguinaria canadensis, Trillium grandiflorum, Enemion biternatum, Jeffersonia diphylla, Chrysogonum virginianum, and Claytonia caroliniana.